Lost Ambition
by NightmareHeartx
Summary: Sakura Haruno is a prisoner to the Uchiha Clan. Once Sakura discovers what Sasuke Uchiha intends on doing to her, the kunoichi escapes and sets on a quest to reach the Hidden Leaf village, the only village the Uchiha cannot reach. AU. NaruSaku.
1. Linger

**Author's note : **

_Summary : Sakura Haruno is a prisoner to the Uchiha Clan. Once Sakura discovers what Sasuke Uchiha intends on doing to her, the kunoichi escapes and sets on a quest to reach the Hidden Leaf village, the only village the Uchiha cannot reach. Along the way, she meets mysterious man who appears to have an agenda of his own._

_Rated M for: Cursing, gore, and sexual content. You have been warned._

_Pairings: NaruSaku_

_Genre: Adventure, Romance, Angst, Drama, Hurt/Comfort  
_

Even though in most of my stories I attempt to follow the Japanese lingo, like honorifics such as kun, sama, san, etc. and adding the last name at the beginning, in this story I'll be sticking to English terms. I feel as though it's distracting, at least in this fanfiction. The only Japanese you'll be seeing here are the jutsus, the dōjutsus, and possibly some other things. Sorry if this upsets you.

_This story takes place in an alternate universe; so many things have been switched around. But the concept of ninjutsu and chakra remains intact._

_Clans are treated like royalty in this universe, and rule over specific villages. The Hidden Sound, unlike in the manga/anime, is an actual village._

_Sakura looks exactly as she does in Shippūden, wearing the same clothes and all. The only difference that her hair is waist length and instead of wearing the Hidden Leaf forehead protector as a headband, she wears the Hidden Sound forehead protector as a headband._

This story… is very different from what I normally write, but I hope you can still enjoy it anyway. I have more of this story written down, but I want to hear your feedback first. It can be dark at times, so be warned.

* * *

_Chapter 1: Linger_

* * *

Sakura hesitantly opened the door, and once leaving her bedroom, tersely shut it. She was incredibly tired, but she knew that there was something else of greater importance. To her relief, nobody seemed to be awake. Hastily, though gently, she began running through the hallway.

It had been three years now since she and her friend, Ino Yamanaka, were captured by the Uchiha Clan and forced to live the rests of their lives as slaves. Sakura was once a kunoichi of the Hidden Leaf village, in the Land of Fire. She was known for her immense strength taught to her by her mentor, Tsunade Senju, by building up chakra in her fists and then releasing it at a precise moment. Expanding on her superb chakra control, the pink-haired kunoichi was also brought up as a talented medical-nin.

Because of Sakura's skills as a ninja, she was appointed at the age of 14 to become a member of ANBU, a group of skilled ninja who performed special high-level missions.

The Uchiha Clan, leaders of the Land of Sound, were sworn enemies of the Land of Fire's leaders, the Senju Clan.

The Hidden Leaf disagreed with the Hidden Sound's new creation; the chakra concealer. The chakra concealer was a device that resembled handcuffs that disrupted the flow of chakra, and thus, disabled the wearer from manipulating chakra. The only people able to release the chakra concealer were the Uchiha, though Sakura didn't know how. Her former village also disagreed with their concept of keeping slaves.

The Hidden Sound insisted that they were doing it for the better of humanity. As a result, this culminated in the Third Shinobi War, with the Senju Clan fighting viciously against the Uchiha Clan.

During this time period, Sakura Haruno was appointed, along with Ino Yamanaka, her first ANBU mission; to infiltrate the Uchiha headquarters and uncover the secrets of the Sharingan.

Unfortunately, this mission resulted in failure, with Ino and Sakura ultimately being captured by the Uchiha. The Uchiha leader at the time, Fugaku Uchiha, initially intended on killing them, but, for unspecified reasons, allowed them to live. In order to ensure their obedience, they were given chakra concealers to wear, and slated them to serve the Uchiha for the rest of their lives, a punishment for their actions.

The Third Ninja war ended shortly after this, with the Land of Fire admitting defeat. Fukagu Uchiha kept the knowledge of two ANBU ninja being their slaves to themselves, and the Hidden Leaf presumed them to be dead. Sometime later, Fukagu died, and his first son, Itachi Uchiha, was appointed the next leader.

Sakura and Ino were not the only servants within the Uchiha Clan; many other servants were dwelling there, captured from other Lands, forced to live under the cruel dictatorship of the Uchiha.

The servants were treated terribly by the Uchiha Clan members, but were given their own separate rooms and the doors were not locked. The rooms contained only a bed and a bathroom; though a very filthy one at that. They were allowed to wear their own certain type of clothing, though where they'd get it was a different story.

Each day, they were given tasks by the head woman, Karin Uzumaki, a former kunoichi of the Land of Whirlpools, which was now destroyed. Karin was the only servant whom the Uchiha trusted, due to her genuine loyalty to them, which was why Sakura didn't trust her.

Paranoia started to engulf Sakura as she continued running. They were not permitted to be wandering around without doing work, and especially not at night. Sakura didn't know why the doors were not locked, but part of her wondered if it was because it was a test, to see if any slaves dare leave their rooms at night.

But she couldn't stop and turn back; no, because her world was about to change.

For months, Sakura and Ino had been formulating a plan to escape once and for all. They would discuss it casually while they worked, being careful to do so when they weren't being watched by Uchiha Clan members or by Karin. The final stages of their plan were coming into place, and Sakura knew if she backed out now, she'd never have a better opportunity.

She slowed down, nearing her destination. She panted, her long hair irritating her. Cautiously, she knocked the door three times, a signal to Ino that it was her, and entered.

Sakura was glad to see her friend standing next to the door.

The blonde kunoichi sighed in relief. "Thank goodness… I thought you might have gotten caught."

Sakura smiled. "Me? Never."

Ino's smile faded. "Okay, now let's get to the plan." Ino sat down on the floor, and Sakura did as well.

"So, you know what's going to happen so far, right?"

The pinkette nodded. How could she forget? The plan was set deep into her mind.

Karin, in a week, would be going on a mission to serve as a medical-nin. Because of this, Suigetsu, her subordinate, would be taking her place as the head of the servants. But, Suigetsu would ultimately betray Karin and lead them through a secret passage to freedom. Without a chakra-sensing ninja to sense their escape and alert the Clan, it was the perfect plan.

But with one flaw. The chakra concealers would still be cuffed to their hands, which would render them unable to escape before the Uchiha Clan noticed them. Chakra enhanced speed, and they couldn't afford to be running slowly. Suigetsu didn't know how to unlock them, so their efforts would be in vain.

Ino leaned in closer. "Okay, Sakura. I think I've figured out how to get rid of the chakra concealers!

Sakura tipped her head. "How?"

Ino grinned. "So, I overheard Itachi talking to one of the members of Uchiha on how to release its grip, and guess how!"

Sakura stared at her. "Are you stupid or something? What if you had gotten caught?"

"Be quiet, Sakura. Listen. You see those three dots on your chakra concealer?"

She took a look at them. "Yeah. Isn't energy stored there to prevent the chakra concealer from breaking?"

"Well, basically, they're also a code embedded in the chakra concealer. If an Uchiha uses their chakra directly in a certain order onto the 'red dots', then the chakra concealers will fall right off."

Sakura eyed her friend curiously. "That's good information, but… how are we going to find an Uchiha member who'll willingly betray their Clan?"

Ino's shoulders slumped. "You're right… but even so, I overheard the code."

"What is it?"

"An Uchiha has to release chakra on the first dot, then the last dot, then the middle dot, then the last dot."

"Okay… do you think it's possible that chakra from a non-Uchiha could work too?"

Ino looked thoughtful for a moment. "I don't know. I'll ask Suigetsu to try it out when Karin's not looking."

Sakura could've sworn she heard a footstep in the hallway, prompting her to stumble to her feet. "We'll discuss this more tomorrow," she murmured to the blonde. "I'd better go."

Ino gave her a short nod, and Sakura departed immediately.

* * *

As Sakura sprinted off, terror arose in her mind. She couldn't tell anymore if the footsteps she was hearing were hers or somebody else's'. All she knew that if she was caught, she'd be in massive trouble; who knew what they could do to her.

Sakura had heard rumors that the slaves who had attempted to rebel were forced to endure Itachi Uchiha's Mangekyō Sharingan; an advanced form of the Sharingan that placed the victim in an agonizing genjutsu. While Ino deduced that they were just stories fabricated to scare servants into obeying, Sakura chose not to take chances into discovering whether or not the rumors were true.

Sakura halted, reaching her bedroom. She looked over her shoulder to see if anyone had followed her trail, and when she didn't see anybody, she entered her room and closed the door, sighing in relief.

But when she looked up, her eyes widened with horror.

In front of her stood an infuriated Karin, who was adjusting her glasses calmly, in contrast to her usually angry expression.

"Lady… Karin?" Sakura mumbled stupidly, mentally slapping herself. How could she forget that Karin was able to sense one's chakra?

"Sakura Haruno…" she hissed, mouth dripping with venom. "Do you know what trouble you are in?" Sakura thought that for a moment, she saw Karin's mouth curve into a smirk, but it was too quick for her to tell.

For some odd reason, Karin had always been particularly irritable towards Sakura. True, she treated everybody terribly, but for unknown reasons, Karin would always give Sakura the most difficult tasks, always humiliate her, always… be more condescending towards her than anyone else.

This, made Sakura loathe her in return.

The redhead pointed to the door. "Open the door, Haruno."

Sakura did as she was told, and the moment she did, Karin pulled her hair, dragging her out of the room. Sakura yelped in alarm.

"Shut up, bitch!" Karin growled. As soon as they stood a couple feet away from her door, Karin released her grasp.

But the chakra-sensing kunoichi wasn't finished with Sakura yet. She pulled Sakura's shirt towards her, and snarled, "Now you better give me a good explanation why you weren't in your room like everyone else!"

Well, now Sakura was technically dead. While the pinkette was a capable actress, she was terrible at lying on the spot, and worse, there was literally no credible excuse she could think of.

So, she just said the first thing that came to her mind.

"My… hand hurt. I was out searching for a medical-nin, but I couldn't find one, so I returned here, and when I did, it stopped hurting."

Karin scoffed. "Do you take me for a fool? Like I'll believe that!"

"It's-It's true!" Sakura insisted.

"Fine," Karin released her grip on Sakura's shirt, but the kunoichi noticed Karin's lips contorting into a grin. "I'll just tell Lord Itachi and see what he has to say about it."

Panic flooded Sakura's mind. "You—"

"And if you're lying, Haruno, let's just say that… well… Mangekyō Sharingan will be lots of fun!"

Sakura couldn't deny her feelings. If she was exposed to his Sharingan, she'd be emotionally scarred for the rest of her life. Her whole life, her plan… It was all over.

She wished that she could at least see her mentor and her friends at the Hidden Leaf, at least once more. But she knew that it was just a wishful fantasy; one she had dreamt of too often.

A masculine voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Karin. What's going on now?"

Sakura didn't have to look to her right to figure out who it was; judging from Karin's reaction, she could tell who it was in a heartbeat. She looked at the ground, frightened.

Sasuke Uchiha.

Sakura hadn't ever seen Sasuke in person; she had only heard about him from Karin and from other servants. Apparently, Sasuke Uchiha was next in line to lead the Uchiha Clan, since Itachi had no children of his own. Karin frequently mentioned how charming Sasuke was when he coldly rebuffed her advances, or how cool he was when performing his ninjutsu. On the other hand, the servants held him in regard far less favorably.

Sasuke, according to rumors, wasn't as powerful as Itachi, but was still definitely a force to be reckoned with. And Sakura certainly did _not _want to get on his bad side, especially as vulnerable as she was now. But, unfortunately for her, that seemed to be the case.

Karin, unsurprisingly, instantly took off her glasses and moved toward him.

"Oh… Sasuke!" –her voice had prominently changed from harsh and demanding to sweet and smooth. "I found one of the rats wandering around! But don't worry… I'm handling it."

Sakura subconsciously clenched her fists, repulsed by her degrading comment.

There was a moment of silence, and Sakura wondered what was going on. She got the feeling that he was staring at her intently, which made her confused and scared, though she wasn't sure.

_What's his deal? _She thought privately to herself.

After what seemed like decades, Sasuke began to speak.

"Karin. Go to sleep. I'll deal with this one." He commanded monotonously.

Judging from Karin's angry scoff, Sakura presumed that Karin was less than thrilled that he had subtly rejected her efforts and decided to take care of things himself. With one last angry, "Hmph" at Sakura, she marched off.

In any case, Sakura would have been relieved for Karin to leave so nonchalantly (well, by her standards), but now, she was up against somebody far more dangerous. She didn't know if Sasuke had the Mangekyō Sharingan or not, but Sakura knew that even if he didn't, he could easily take her life.

Sakura gulped, but managed to remain composed. She didn't know what Sasuke intended on doing to her, but if it was something dreadful, she prayed it would be quick.

Her eyes remained fixated on the ground, unwavering. She didn't even know if she had the _right_ to look at him. It was possible that the Uchiha considered them to be so majestic that they refused 'scum' like her to look at their 'beautiful' selves. If that _were_ the case, then Sakura was disgusted by such vanity.

She waited for him to do something, but he remained silent. It was apparent that he was examining her carefully, which made Sakura self-conscious.

After a minute or two of sheer stillness, Sasuke asked, "What's your name, slave?"

She suppressed to urge to spit in his face for such a remark. For a moment, she thought of making up a name, but after realizing that she'd most likely be in even more trouble, she chose not to.

"It's Sakura Haruno." She answered dryly.

"Is that so?" he responded.

_Is that a rhetorical question?_

"Well?"

_Apparently not. _"Y-Yes." She stated quietly.

He started to approach her, causing her to panic. Well, now she really was dead.

"Why weren't you in your room?" His tone had substantially darkened.

"I—my hand hurt. I went to search for a medical-nin, but I couldn't find one."

"Is that the truth?"

"Y-Yes." He was now standing in front of her, though Sakura still couldn't bring herself to glance at him.

She hadn't even noticed how close he was until he whispered into her ear, "Look at me."

The kunoichi hesitated for a moment, worried that he would utilize his Sharingan, but she dared not defy him and, reluctantly, returned his gaze.

She was genuinely surprised.

She had constantly heard Karin raving about his good looks, but… this was unbelievable. Sakura's eyes widened.

He had fair skin and a perfectly proportioned face; his bangs hung on both sides of his face to roughly frame his cheeks. His eyes were a dark shade of onyx which complimented his charcoal hair. He was wearing the traditional Uchiha clothing, though Sakura didn't pay much attention to it, mesmerized by his appearance. He was…

_Beautiful._

"Is that really the truth?" He questioned menacingly, "Do you know what happens to those caught lying?" With each sentence he got closer and closer to her face. The pinkette instinctively took a step backwards, but realized, to her dismay, there was a wall behind her.

Uncertain if it was a rhetorical question, Sakura replied. "N-No."

"Would you like to know?"

Sakura found herself becoming more and more agitated.

"I-I'd rather not."

He grasped her chin, still staring intently at her. "I could show you."

Sasuke closed his eyes for a moment, and once he opened them, his eyes were a dark shade of crimson and had three black tomoe swirling in them.

So this was his Sharingan.

Sakura, despite being several moments ago unable to look at Sasuke Uchiha, now found herself unable to look away. It was almost as though the Sharingan had hypnotized her to stare at him blankly, but Sakura wouldn't be surprised if it had. Somehow, it felt as though Sasuke was probing through her mind, attempting to decrypt if Sakura had lied.

"So, tell me again what happened." He ordered.

She gulped. "My hand hurt, so I—"

"I know you're lying." He said softly.

She flinched. Had the Sharingan detected her lie, or was he just bluffing?

He grabbed her throat, prompting Sakura to cry out in pain.

He smirked. "Perhaps if you tell me the truth, and beg me to let you go, I'll convince my brother to give you a _quick_ death." He tightened his grasp.

Sakura was suddenly reminded of her hatred toward the Uchiha Clan. She could be their slave, she could do their work, but she _would not beg for mercy._

Her hatred was unable to be conveyed in words. She wanted every single Uchiha to die.

She glared at him, unable to contain her anger. "Why ask him?" she snarled, "Why don't you finish me off yourself, since you're so powerful?"

He narrowed his eyes. "Remember your place here, Haruno." Amusement tinged his voice.

But Sakura continued. "Have you even awakened your Mangekyō Sharingan? I suppose you haven't, considering you haven't used it on me yet."

Immediately she regretted her words, because the second she had recklessly voiced them, his grip on her tensed, nearly suffocating her. She coughed in agony.

She expected him to show rage at her insult, yet he remained calm.

"Don't take me lightly. I could break you easily if I wanted to."

Sakura could barely hear what he had said. She was about to lose consciousness from lack of air. Yet, Sakura still felt obliged to fight back.

She stared at him evenly, a challenge in her eyes. "You won't _ever _break me." She choked out. She felt stupid for recklessly challenging an Uchiha, yet her suppressed rage from the years of constant abuse had finally built up and unleashed itself.

Sakura saw a devious smile creep up his lips and immediately released her, prompting Sakura to plummet to the ground, gasping aggressively. Her need for air was so great that only after a moment she noticed the Sasuke had deactivated his Sharingan.

Despite her relief, she couldn't help but feel uneasy. Something wasn't right. Why did he let her go? It baffled her.

He looked thoughtful for a moment, making made Sakura even more puzzled.

Finally, Sakura managed to vaguely hear him mutter, "We'll see about that." After his statement, he began to calmly walk away, behaving as though nothing had happened. Sakura could only stare stupidly at him in awe.

After he had vanished, Sakura suddenly grew deeply afraid. Now she really was in trouble. She had been so stupid. Sasuke's words were incredibly indirect and discreet, but it was obvious that Sasuke intended to punish her severely for her actions.

Sulkily she returned to her room and laid on her bed, but she could hardly sleep. What if she was executed? Worse, what if she and _Ino _were executed? She'd feel terrible if Ino was forced to suffer as a result of her actions.

She attempted to fall asleep, yet the knowledge that any moment Uchiha Clan members could burst into her room and sentence her for execution was alarming. For a few hours, Sakura fidgeted in her bed, anxious, before eventually succumbing to sleep.

* * *

When Sakura awakened, the memories of last night were somewhat forgotten. Casually she began to strip, tie her hair in a bun, and enter her shower, in order to prepare for another day of work. After taking a refreshing shower, she changed into her clothes and adjusted her Hidden Sound forehead protector, something that every servant was forced to wear. Though, she wore it as a headband.

Just when she started putting on her boots, Sakura suddenly remembered what had occurred yesterday, and remembered Sasuke's ominous words;

"_We'll see about that."_

She sighed. She noted that nobody came to punish her last night, so that may have indicated that Sasuke hadn't intended on doing anything bad to her. But Sakura doubted it. The Clan was known for their Curse of Hatred and their obsession with revenge. So, Sakura couldn't see how in any way she was safe.

She looked at the time. 7 AM. Karin was supposed to be here and feed her breakfast.

Unsurprisingly, Karin entered her room without greeting Sakura. She appeared genuinely surprised to see Sakura there, and Sakura guessed that Karin had expected her to be executed for her actions. The redhead snorted and handed her a bowl of eggs, yogurt and stale bread. She then gave Sakura a piece of paper, which was her task for the day, and then left without another word.

After eating, Sakura read her task.

_Sakura Haruno ; The toilets of all the slaves must be cleaned properly._

She resisted the urge to throw up.

Sighing, she stood up to gather her supplies. Karin never gave each individual slave the materials they needed for their job. They were forced to retrieve it at the Supply Room, a room that contained all supplies necessary for the tasks they were given.

She exited her room and began to walk slowly to the room. As she walked, she noticed that several Uchiha inhabiting the palace were staring at her strangely, which puzzled her. They weren't even looks of disapproval… they were looks of interest.

After retrieving what she needed, she headed to the nearest slave's room and began to scrub his toilet.

Things were being… unnaturally normal today. None of the Uchiha spoke to her, which indicated that they didn't seem to intend on punishing her. Did Sasuke intend on blackmailing her, or something?

After spending ten minutes cleaning the toilet, she washed her hands thoroughly. She looked at her hands in dismay when she realized that the stench would not immediately fade and was forced to wash them multiple times in order for it to vanish completely

Just as she finished washing her hands, the door opened. Sakura expected to see the slave of the room walk in, but was surprised when she saw somebody else instead.

"L-Lady M-Mikoto?" she exclaimed. "What brings her Lady here?"

Mikoto Uchiha was a jōnin-level kunoichi who was the mother of Itachi and Sasuke Uchiha and was once the wife of Fugaku Uchiha before his ultimate death. Due to this, she was held in high regard and respected throughout the Uchiha Clan.

"Are you Sakura Haruno?" Mikoto asked.

"Y-Yes." Sakura's suspicion aroused. Mikoto never spoke to the slaves, and if she did, it was only out of utmost importance. Mikoto's tone hadn't sounded strict… though it didn't sound predominantly kind, either.

Mikoto scrutinized her carefully for a moment, and then pulled out board that had a document attached to it.

"How many days has it been since your last menstrual cycle?"

Sakura shifted around uncomfortably, having her personal matters discussed so casually. She wondered why Mikoto asked such a private question, but decided not to question her motives. "It's been… 14 days." She conceded awkwardly.

Mikoto suddenly shot her a dirty look. "Is that how you speak to an Uchiha?"

Sakura flinched. "It's been 14 days, milady."

The mother of Itachi nodded curtly. "That's better." Sakura saw her start to write on the document.

Though, Sakura's curiosity got the best of her and felt obliged to ask her why she needed to know such an incredulous thing.

"I'm sorry, milady… but…"

"Be quiet," Mikoto snapped, and Sakura obeyed. She continued to rapidly scribble something on the document. It felt like decades before she finally put the clipboard away.

Mikoto cleared her throat. "Listen carefully, Haruno, for I do not wish to repeat myself. From now, you will no longer be a slave."

Sakura stared at her in amazement. Was she going to be freed?

"I won't?" Sakura inquired, thrilled.

"No. The life of a servant will put strain on your body, and we can't afford to have anything happen to the next heir."

The kunoichi's face fell. "The next heir…? What are you talking about…?" Sakura was too perplexed to speak formally to the respected Uchiha ninja. She couldn't figure out what was going on.

"Lord Itachi has the same disease that Lord Fugaku once had. Eventually, Lord Itachi will die, and Sasuke Uchiha needs a successor before he takes Itachi's position."

Sakura suddenly hoped that Mikoto was bluffing. "So… you're telling me…"

"You shall bear a child for Sasuke Uchiha. An heir must be produced before his inevitable death."

…

…

…

_What?_

Sakura gawked at Mikoto blankly, unable to comprehend what she had just said.

Mikoto continued. "In many respects, you will remain a servant, but you shall now serve Sasuke Uchiha himself. You shall obey his every order and satisfy any desire he may have. Furthermore, his child will be raised by you. "

The kunoichi's eyes widened in horror. Mikoto really wasn't joking. Sakura fell to her knees, shocked. What was going on?

_No…_

_No!_

Resentment replaced her shock. The Uchiha… they had treated their slaves as mere tools for their own personal gain. She had only spoken _once _to Sasuke; and yet now, this woman was expecting her to calmly agree to produce a child _and_ to raise a family with him? _Fuck _that.

"Do you have any questions?" Mikoto asked nonchalantly.

_Yes, can I personally murder every last one of you forsaken Uchiha? _

Sakura managed to control her anger and ask, "But why me? Couldn't you find someone else to raise the next heir? Somebody… who actually _wanted_ this?"

_Though I can't imagine who would want something like that._

"Sasuke _himself _requested specifically that _you _become the mother of his child."

Then it hit Sakura like one of Tsunade's punches.

_Sasuke _plotted this. _This_ was how he was going to punish her. _This _was how he intended on _breaking _her will. By forcing her to become bear his child… she would forever endure the Curse of Hatred that the Uchiha were burdened with.

She _hated _him so fucking much.

"I'm not doing _any of this." _Sakura attempted to walk away, but Mikoto blocked her.

"Just try and make me," Sakura growled.

But Mikoto remained unfazed. "Don't forget, Haruno Sakura, what happens to those who disobey. If you attempt to resist in any way, you—and your friend will be executed."

"Ino has nothing to do with this!" She bellowed.

The Uchiha Clan member ignored her. "You will be excused of your duties today. Tonight, you will be escorted to Sasuke's bedroom, where you will engage in intercourse."

_Tonight?! _

"Take a bath before you do. I've already put proper attire in your room for you to wear. The escort will arrive to take you there at exactly 6:30 PM. Be ready until then."

As soon as Mikoto left, Sakura began running down the hallway. Nothing mattered anymore. Nothing did.

Sakura was a virgin. She wanted her first time to be with somebody she _truly loved _and admired, not with somebody she _loathed_. She doubted Sasuke even had feelings towards her; she even doubted that Sasuke felt _lust_ towards her. She knew that only wanted to show his power over her.

The thought of bearing a child with him thoroughly sickened her. She would never be able to fully love her child unconditionally because her child would most likely be raised to be a cruel psychopath, just like its father. She didn't want a child of hers to have the heart of an evil Uchiha. And she knew it wouldn't be the child's fault; it would be all _his _fault.

For the rest of her life she'd be standing by Sasuke's side, obeying his orders with a second doubt. _No._

She wasn't going to accept her fate.

When she reached Ino's door, and opened it, panting. "Ino!" she called urgently.

Ino was sitting on the floor, still eating breakfast. "Sakura? What's the matter?"

Sakura shut the door. She was now visibly hyperventilating. "Sasuke—he—me—child—servant—" She cried out, shaking.

"Sakura, calm down! I can't understand a word you're saying."

Sakura forced herself to calm down. "Ino, we have to get out of here _today!"_

Ino raised her eyebrow. "Today? What about the plan?"

The pinkette shook her hair violently. "We have to forget about the plan!"

"Why?"

Sakura bit her lip, and explained the situation to her friend.

The blonde's eyes widened. "_What?! _Is that really going to happen?!_" _

Sakura nodded grimly. "That's why we have to leave today."

Ino looked uncertainly at Sakura. "How? Karin leaves next week. There isn't any time to think of a new plan."

"We have to think of _something." _ Sakura looked down at her feet. "Ino, please think of something…"

Ino sighed. "With Karin around, it's nearly impossible for somebody to escape. So, if we're going to think of a plan, Karin has to be out of the picture first."

Sakura jolted upwards in realization. "No… we _need _Karin."

Ino tipped her head. "What are you talking about, Sakura? Karin is loyal to the Uchiha Clan."

"She is," Sakura admitted, "But that's why she'll let us go."

* * *

**Author's note : **If you're confused about anything, ask and I'll gladly answer. Thank you for reading!


	2. Outlaw

**Author's note: **Thanks for the positive feedback! It really motivates me.

Damn… Rereading chapter 1, I noticed that there are a lot of typos. _ I'll probably fix them later.

I must note, I write one chapter ahead in order to keep the story going the way I want it to. So, that means that the next chapter is already written, but you'll only see it once I'm done writing the chapter after it. Sorry for keeping you waiting. xD

Oh, and… this chapter implies that Sasuke has done certain things… I don't think I have to say it out loud. It's rated M for a reason.

Hotness ahead. xD

* * *

_Chapter 2: Outlaw_

* * *

Karin marched through the hallway, outraged.

"That stupid bitch…" she cursed to herself. When she noticed that several Uchiha were gawking at her, Karin glared at them. "What're _you_ looking at?" She snapped, prompting them to turn away, perturbed.

Karin Uzumaki was once from the Land of Whirlpools. After the destruction of her land caused by the Nine-Tailed fox, of which the details she couldn't remember, she sought refuge in the Land of Sound. There, her abilities as a chakra-sensing ninja was acknowledged by the Uchiha Clan, and ultimately joined them.

Despite her gratitude towards them, her job was unbearable. She was revolted by spending so much time watching over filth. More importantly, all the slaves she encountered were constantly whining about insignificant subjects. She loathed them deeply.

Though, there was one slave in particular she hated.

Sakura Haruno.

The pink-hair kunoichi never actually _did _anything to provoke Karin; she never complained, she always obeyed orders, and never asked for help in her tasks. Yet, somehow her entire existence seemed to be the only reason why she detested her.

And with each moment, she found that her abhorrence towards her kept growing stronger.

Yesterday, when the redhead had caught Sakura, she was thrilled to finally have an excuse for punishing her. Of course, her joy faltered when Sasuke appeared out of nowhere and commanded that he would deal with her.

Despite being upset that she couldn't deal with Sakura herself, she had still been pleased that Sasuke would be handling her. She _had thought_ that he was going to teach her a real lesson, or sentence her for execution, but was mortified to see that the next morning, no damage was done.

Though, something like this was tolerable.

What _was unbearable_ was that shortly afterwards, she was informed by Mikoto Uchiha that Sakura would bear _Sasuke's _child and the whole process would take place _tonight. And, _that Karin would be Sakura's escort.

She _couldn't _believe it. She _refused _to believe it. It was too incredulous. Why would Sasuke choose _her_? He barely even knew her! Sasuke wouldn't force a slave to bear his child. He'd be tainted by their immorality. He should've chosen somebody who was respected throughout the Uchiha, not some worthless scum.

Karin narrowed her eyes. How was Sakura able to seduce him? She was relatively flat-chested and had little to no curves. Karin, on the other hand, had a voluptuous figure… or at least, she believed she did.

Right now, she was headed to a slave's room to give him another task. Even though her mind was in chaos, she still had to do her job.

As she turned left, she inadvertently crashed into someone.

"Hey, watch where you're—" She paused as she realized who it was, and snorted.

"Oh, it's _you, _Haruno." She said, disgust tinting her voice. "Be careful where you walk." Just the sight of Sakura repulsed her.

But Sakura didn't budge. "Karin… I was actually looking for you." Her lips were pursed and her tone was concerned.

Karin bristled in indignation. "So, you're no longer addressing me with 'Lady'. You're acting rather high and mighty, for a former slave."

The pink-haired kunoichi's expression remained intact.

Beneath her aggravation, Karin couldn't help but feel apprehensive. Sakura was always scratching Karin's back, and it was strange to see her behaving so rebellious. Even though Sakura wasn't technically a servant anymore, she was still trash in her book.

_What's she plotting…?_

"Karin, I need your help." She stated anxiously.

"What do you need help with? You're always still going to be garbage to me."

Sakura narrowed her eyes and coughed.

"Let me make this perfectly clear, Karin. I don't like you. I never have."

Karin was about to answer, but Sakura continued.

"And I know you don't like me either. So, I think we'd _both _be happier if I was out of the Uchiha Clans' lives."

"You're actually quite perceptive for a slave, you know." Karin sneered. "But I'm not following you."

Sakura wished had thought of some sort of clever preposition so that Karin could get something out of it, but she didn't. She just had to hope that Karin's jealousy would be the key.

"I know you have feelings for Sasuke. And I know you're probably furious that Sasuke chose me."

"You don't say?"

"Trust me. I'm as furious as you are. There's only way one this can be prevented."

"You be killed?" Karin asked spitefully.

"No." Sakura looked around nervously to see if anybody was eavesdropping, before murmuring, "I _escape."_

Karin gaped at her for several moments, stunned. Sakura for a moment thought she might agree to assist her, but was disappointed when Karin erupted into laughter.

"So you want me to help you escape? Are you insane? I hate you and all, but I'd never betray the Uchiha."

"I thought you liked Sasuke."

"I do, but—"

"Guess your love for him wasn't sincere then," Sakura interrupted, shrugging. "Suit yourself. I guess I'll stay, considering you don't want to help me." Sakura prayed that her reverse psychology would work.

Karin's eyebrow twitched. She never considered betraying the Uchiha Clan, but now, it seemed the obvious choice to do. Sasuke would live a miserable life with Sakura, and if Sakura was to escape, Karin would attempt to make him realize that he had made a poor choice, choosing Sakura to bear his child.

In a sense, everybody won.

"Wait," she called, grabbing her shoulder. "Fine. I'll help you. But only because I'm doing it for Sasuke."

A grin was plastered on Sakura's face.

Karin put her hands on her hips, sneering. "So, have you got some sort of plan?"

* * *

She stared at her worn-down clock, worried. It was 6:15; in fifteen minutes Sakura was to be escorted to Sasuke's bedroom.

Sakura had explicitly told Karin that she had to be at Sakura's room twenty minutes before the affair. Five minutes had already passed, and there was no sign of the chakra-sensing ninja.

Sakura narrowed her eyes. Would Karin back out on their agreement? The thought of it infuriated her, but simultaneously, Sakura couldn't ignore the feeling of dread clutching her chest. She hadn't time to think of another plan; if the redhead betrayed her, then… her innocence would be Sasuke's for the taking.

The thought of her and Sasuke… having _sex…_ repulsed her. She didn't even know how the whole scenario would play out. Would he play with her mind before the whole ordeal, or would he just get straight to the process? She wrinkled her nose in disgust. She couldn't care less if he was handsome. She wouldn't ever give herself to him.

She took another glance at the clock. She gasped in horror. _6:25?!_

She gulped_. Karin, where are you?!_ She pleaded silently. Time was quite literally flying, and Sakura didn't know if she could endure the suspense any longer.

After what seemed like an eternity, the door finally opened. Sakura, for the first time, couldn't be more relieved to see Karin.

Though, Karin didn't seem to share her delight.

"Tch. Don't look so happy to see me," she stated crossly, correcting her glasses. Sakura sighed.

"I'm glad you're here. Let's get out of here," the pinkette raced forward, but was confused when Karin didn't follow her.

"What's wrong? Let's go."

Karin sheepishly scratched her head. "Well, about that…"

"About that?" Sakura echoed sharply. Was Karin selling her out?

"There… seems to be some difficulties in waking 'him' up. I won't be able to do it."

Sakura could no longer contain her outrage. She balled her fists. _"What?!"_ Sakura proclaimed, but forced herself to keep her voice down. "I don't know if you've noticed, but I have to be at Sasuke's room in _five minutes!"_ She gulped. Everything she feared was now becoming a reality.

_I knew I shouldn't have trusted her._

She sank to her feet, utterly defeated. Everything was gone now. Her life, her future… it was all obliterated. There wasn't anything she could do now.

There wasn't any hope.

* * *

As Sakura adjusted the hem on her sleeves, she was reminded of the Mikoto's ominous words;

"_If you attempt to resist in any way, you—and your friend will be executed."_

The pink-haired kunoichi couldn't care less if the Uchiha murdered her; everybody from the Hidden Leaf already believed her to be dead. However, Ino was an entirely different subject. Her friend was the sole reason for Sakura's existence. If Ino died, Sakura would resent herself forever.

Looking in the mirror, the kunoichi eyed the attire she was given for the occasion, a luxurious traditional red gown, curiously. Truthfully, Sakura was relieved that it wasn't particularly… erotic, but nonetheless didn't find comfort in the fact that Sasuke was supposed to take it off.

Karin rested her back on the wall of her room. "You ready?" She asked impatiently.

"No," Sakura replied tartly, "But does it really matter to you?" He voice was beginning to morph into a snarl. "After all, you're a_ traitor_."

The chakra-sensing ninja's expression was unreadable. "Let's go, then."

As they walked through the Uchiha halls, Sakura caught glimpses of jealousy from several slave girls who working. Sakura cringed with resentment. What did _they_ have to be jealous about? If anything, _she _was jealous of _them_.

After several minutes, Karin stopped in front of a door abruptly. The redhead looked at Sakura expectantly, pointing to the door. For a brief moment Sakura had thought she had seen a look of regret flash in Karin's eyes, but it was too quick to be sure.

Sakura swallowed hard. This was it. She knocked on the door.

"Come in," said the male voice that could only belong to him.

Sakura bit her lip, hesitating. Underneath all of her rage, her strength was beginning to waver. After taking a deep breath, she opened the door and entered his room. To her dismay, she heard the door close behind her.

Unsurprisingly, his room was far more luxurious than that of a slave. The walls were crimson and several windows adorned them. Elegant pieces of furniture decorated it—though she couldn't perceive the rest of the enormous and rich room as her gaze was fixated strictly on the ground.

He was sitting casually on his canopy bed, in his normal attire. Sakura felt her body grow weak, but didn't say anything.

Sasuke smirked at her form. Her face was slightly flushed and her former look of defiance was beginning to wane. He wasn't completely satisfied, though; it hadn't completely faltered.

But, he knew it soon would.

The silence roared in Sakura's ears, and the kunoichi wondered what the Uchiha heir was thinking about. She was caught quite off guard by his subsequent remark.

"Are you a virgin?" He questioned without a hint of emotion. Sakura was so incredulous by the question that she resisted the urge to punch him. _What kind of question is that, you fucking bastard!?_

Sasuke noticed that she had started to bristle, though he couldn't care less.

"…Yes." She uttered quietly, voice sharp with disdain. It took all of her self-control to prevent herself from hitting that stupid, arrogant face of his.

Sasuke had already known the answer to his question; he just wanted her to admit it out loud. He grinned. It was an empowering thought that he'd be the first to touch, to deflower her and break her in.

"Come closer." He ordered.

Sakura's face fell, but she obeyed. She approached him nervously, and came to a halt when she stood several feet away from him. The kunoichi's stomach twisted in dismay when Sasuke got to his feet.

Sasuke hadn't been attracted to women for some time now. The mere title of being an Uchiha was enough to compel a large amount of women to fawn over him. He was able to control them to his whim; something that the black-haired ninja himself found quite enjoyable for some time.

He once savored in dominating them. Women were exceptionally soft and tender, so the fact that Sasuke was able to play with them as roughly as he desired was thoroughly satisfying. He didn't come to them, they came _to him_. And what had made it even more pleasurable was that he didn't even have to lift a finger.

But, lately, none of his feelings applied.

As he toyed with more and more women, he found that each one of them had nothing interesting to offer, and the fact that they flocked to him was growing excessively boring. He was fed up with obedient women; it was growing to be irritable.

He approached her menacingly. "I'm disappointed," he told her. Instinctively, Sakura stepped back as Sasuke towered over her. Anxiety flooded Sakura's well-being, and the kunoichi began to fear that she would go insane.

He continued to advance on her as she continued to back away until Sakura hit the wall. Sasuke closed the gap between them.

"I thought you would have put up more of a fight. But in the end, you're just like them." His voice significantly darkened, and he leaned over to her ear. Sakura tensed, his breath tickling her.

"Just another worthless woman." He murmured.

Cupping her face, he pulled her into a heated kiss, his tongue exploring every inch of her mouth. Sakura's eyes widened, shocked. The intensity of the kiss was so great Sakura's entire body was frozen, horrified. Even though she was shrieking internally, she was unable to react. Her mouth was being ravaged by her mortal enemy; she was utterly petrified.

By the way his tongue collided with hers, it became apparent to Sakura that this most likely wasn't the first time Sasuke was sexually involved with a woman; the realization of which thoroughly sickened her. What disturbed the pink-haired kunoichi the most, however, was that this was only the beginning—what was about to come was_ far_ worse than this.

Sasuke opened his eyes for a brief moment, relishing the fearful anticipation on her face, the fact that he was the one responsible for it. He was determined to make her entirely succumb to her body's weaknesses. The thought of it produced the sensation of unbearable, restraining heat in his pants.

He moved his mouth to her neck, nipping and sucking at the nape of her neck. Sakura shuddered, his touch stunning her. She couldn't find any pleasure in this; it was pure torture. She closed her eyes and tried to even out her breathing.

The black-haired ninja smirked. He could tell that Sakura was getting agitated. But that didn't matter—not when she was forming such an erotic, submissive picture before him, and from his mere touches.

There was no doubt that she'd never been touched in this way before. She was far too sensitive—she was still a woman, after all.

He slipped off her dress slowly, delicately, exposing her shoulders. She shivered slightly at the sudden lack of clothing shielding her shoulders from the cold, but was still caught in her catatonic-like state to object.

The only thing she could do was whimper pathetically.

Sasuke felt victorious; what he intended on doing to her was the perfect form of retribution for her reckless behavior. By his standards, at the very least. He reached out and cupped her left breast. They weren't as big as he would have liked them to be, but they were soft and fit perfectly in his palm.

Sakura suddenly felt a rush of panic, which brought her back to her senses. Furiously, she struck his face; she wasn't thinking; she was just reacting.

Shoving him aside, she tried to run to the door, but Sasuke had no intention of letting her escape. He gripped her arm tightly; she tried to free herself from his grasp, but he was far stronger than she was.

"It doesn't matter what _you _want," he spoke coldly. Sakura glared at him angrily, still struggling to yank her arm away from him. But it was futile, and Sasuke knew it too. He tossed her to his bed with an indefinite amount of force and pinned her down before she was able fight back.

"The only thing that matters now is that it _will _happen." Part of him was irritated that he had been interrupted, yet at the same time he found it engaging that she, despite knowing her fate, had still tried to resist.

Her eyes were wide with horror. Sasuke liked her seeing her defiant expression, but her frightened one was much more pleasurable.

Oh, he was _definitely _going to enjoy this.

He held her face with one hand and lowered his lips to hers, kissing her deeply. The ninja's tongue rolled over her bottom lip, which made Sakura want to gag. She squirmed, knowing it was useless.

Sasuke broke the kiss, hoping to see that scared reaction of hers again; he was disappointed to see that her eyes were shut tight.

"Look at me, _Sakura," _he commanded menacingly. The way he said her name sent chills running down her spine. Complying, she forced herself to open her eyes. Satisfied, he lifted the hem of her dress and slid his hand through her thigh.

Her heart jolted in terror. She bit her lip, fighting back tears. Her life had only been one of suffering and hatred since the day she and Ino had been captured. That day, Sakura had been powerless. Her friend had protected her, and if Sakura was forced to relinquish something in order to protect Ino in return, she would do so. Even if it was unendurable.

Suddenly, there was intense knocking on the door.

"_Sasuke! _You must come outside. It is of—"

Sasuke was furious at the interruption. "I'm busy right now," he stated, tone being laced with near murder intent. He was just getting to the best part; and now, somebody was disturbing him.

"You don't understand; it's _Jūgo._"

Sakura's neck straightened. Jūgo?

The Sharingan user narrowed his eyes in distaste.

The Uchiha Clan used a man named Jūgo as their primary source of military power; they had used him to defeat the Hidden Leaf during the Third Ninja War. He was generally obedient, but do to his random fits of rage, he was forced in remain locked in a cell when not in use. He would only stop when Sasuke came personally to calm him down.

He released his grip on her and got to his feet. Sakura continued to lie there, paralyzed. As he approached the door, he turned back to look her once more, and left. Sakura was able to hear the door lock.

Sakura, after lying there for several moments, managed to stand up. Her knees were wobbly and she felt a strange sensation of falling. Even though she undeniably hated Sasuke Uchiha, she definitely feared him more than she did hate.

Yet, what was going on certainly baffled her more than it did upset her. Jūgo had been a part of her plan—

Unexpectedly the door flung open. Sakura felt sick to her stomach, thinking that Sasuke had returned to torment her once more, but was surprised to see that it was instead a certain redheaded ninja—and was holding Sakura's usual clothes.

"K-Karin?!" She exclaimed in disbelief. What was she doing here? "What-"

Karin clasped her hand over the pink-haired kunoichi's mouth. "Shut up, stupid," she barked. "Look…" She was beginning to fidget uncomfortably. "… I changed my mind."

The former Hidden Leaf ninja didn't know whether to feel appalled or relieved. Sakura could only stare at her in amazement. So, her out-of-world assumptions were correct. Karin had decided to stick to the plan, after all.

She had told Karin that she needed her to wake up Jūgo so that he could start a ruckus. Because Sasuke, along with a majority of the Uchiha Clan, would be distracted in the moment, Karin would lead Sakura and Ino out through the secret passage that Suigetsu had told them about. Before that, though, she would release the chakra concealers.

"Let's go," Karin urged, but Sakura wouldn't budge. She narrowed her eyes.

"Where's Ino?" Sakura demanded. She wouldn't even contemplate the idea of leaving if Ino wouldn't escape with her.

Karin scowled. "She's already there waiting. Now let's hurry!"

The redhead had already started to run, and Sakura followed. As they sprinted through the hallways, Sakura was stunned that no Uchiha was in sight; Sakura deduced that they were all attempting to control Jūgo before Sasuke arrived.

They stopped as they reached an empty hallway, containing only a statue. Karin pushed the statue aside, exposing a hole. Without a second thought, the duo climbed into it carefully.

As they drew near the end of the passage, Sakura was able to see Ino standing outside from a distance. "Ino!" Sakura panted, reaching their destination. It was strange being outside; it was the first time she had done so in three years. She shivered, unfamiliar with the sensation.

"Sakura… are you okay?" Ino inquired, concerned. Sakura hesitated. "Mostly… I guess…" she conceded. She didn't want her friend to worry about her.

She eyed her surroundings. In front of them stood a vast forest that appeared to go on for miles.

Karin coughed. "Okay, heed my words. Once I release your chakra concealers, you both will feel a rush of chakra flowing to your arms. You must control yourselves."

When Sakura and Ino nodded in understanding, Karin deciphered the code on their chakra concealers. Sakura felt a rush of energy pulsating through her arms; the force of which made her gasp. It was a gratifying feeling, and she was just itching to land a punch on one of the Uchiha Clan members. Her self-confidence was restored in a heartbeat; the warrior in her reawakened.

"Cha…" She hissed, shaking her fists ardently.

"You must control yourselves," Karin instructed, handing Sakura her clothes. "Haruno, change into what you usually wear. That dress will just slow you down."

Not caring that Karin was watching, Sakura removed her dress and put on her normal attire. When Sakura was done, Karin handed her and Ino two kunai.

"You'll need them for protection," The chakra-sensing ninja stated, "Listen carefully. Run without any breaks. Use your chakra to enhance your speed. Because the second you start running, I'm going to alert the Uchiha that I sense your chakra leaving the palace. If I don't, I'll garner suspicion."

"Karin…" Sakura started, unexpectedly feeling gratitude towards the condescending redhead. She clutched her chest with emotion. "Thank you."

Karin flailed her arms, snorting with contempt. "I'm not doing it for you, now go!"

Instantaneously, Sakura and Ino fled without another word.

* * *

"_I'll kill you all!" _Jūgo screeched manically, thrashing wrathfully. The chains restraining him were now visibly starting to break. His Sage Transformation was almost complete. He let out a vicious battle cry, refusing to relent.

_At this rate, Jūgo will break out of his cell._ Inabi thought to himself, uneasy. "Jūgo, stand back!" He ordered, voice trembling with anxiety. Several Uchiha Clan members surrounded the cell, bracing themselves for an attack.

"Where's Sasuke?" He cried out.

"I'm right here," said the young Uchiha, pacing over to Inabi's side impatiently. He was in a terrible mood. The fact that he had to abandon the act of copulation in order to soothe a psychotic man didn't particularly thrill him.

"What idiot decided to piss off Jūgo?" Sasuke growled, eying the members angrily. The Uchiha members looked at each other uneasily, remaining silent. "Whatever," he muttered under his breath.

He approached Jūgo's cell calmly. "Jūgo … Relax. Nobody's going to hurt you, so stop it." His tone wasn't comforting, but Sasuke was far too annoyed to be kind.

Jūgo stared at him for a moment, in shock. "Lord Sasuke…" he murmured. Slowly, he began to morph back into his normal form. He fell to his knees, distraught.

"Forgive me…" he whispered apologetically, before collapsing.

Sasuke sneered. He turned to the Uchiha Clan members, glaring. They had been utterly useless in this situation.

"I'm going to my room. Don't bother me for the rest of the night."

Exiting, he headed in the direction of his bedroom. He was looking forward to tormenting Sakura once more; the whole scenario replayed in his mind. After walking for several minutes, he finally reached the door to his bedroom. He was about to open the door, until a voice called out to him.

"Sasuke!" Shouted a feminine voice. Sasuke whipped around, noticing Karin running to him, panting. He frowned. The constant interruptions were aggravating.

"What is it now?" He asked impatiently.

She looked up. "Two slaves are escaping the palace!"

Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows. Slaves rarely escaped, but when they did, they weren't hard to reclaim. After all, their chakra concealers drastically slowed them down. But, it was undeniably annoying and a waste of time, retrieving them.

When he noticed that Karin was still staring at him, he scowled.

"I have unfinished business," Sasuke said simply, starting to open his door, "Don't expect me to help."

"That's just it." Karin muttered. "One of the prisoners who escaped was Sakura Haruno."

Sasuke stopped abruptly. When he turned to face Karin, his features had significantly darkened. He remained mute for several moments, before managing to utter, "What?"

Karin gulped, daunted by the sudden change in demeanor. "S-Sakura Haruno." She stammered, "She escaped with another prisoner, Ino Yamanaka."

Sasuke didn't reply; nonchalantly, he opened the door to his bedroom. It was empty; Sakura had vanished.

She couldn't figure out what Sasuke was thinking about. He continued to stand there, deadly silent. "S-Sasuke?" she said quietly, frightened.

He was facing Karin now. "Tell Inabi to organize a patrol for them. Make sure you tag along." His tone was monotonous, yet Karin couldn't shake off the feeling that something was hidden underneath it.

"Y-Yes!" She agreed nervously, running to find the Uchiha member. Despite her relief that Sasuke hadn't realized her betrayal, Sasuke had somehow disturbed her. He hadn't ever reacted to slaves escaping so… chillingly.

She brushed it off, hoping to forget it.

* * *

As Sakura leapt through the trees, she found that Ino was lagging behind. "Ino, keep up!" She shouted urgently. Karin had made it explicit that they couldn't rest, not even for a moment.

Ino panted. Unlike Sakura, Ino wasn't naturally adept at controlling her chakra; as a result, she hadn't used the correct amount of chakra to enhance her speed and had wasted most of it. Further contributing to this was the fact that Ino hadn't manipulated her chakra in three years; she hadn't accustomed to using it properly.

Sakura turned her head around, stopping. Ino was staggering on the ground. "Ino… what's wrong?" She questioned, rushing to her side. Ino seemed unnaturally frail—it was bizarre seeing Ino having a hard time keeping up with her. If anything, Ino was usually in the lead, rather than the other way around.

"Don't stop!" Ino hissed, shoving the pink-haired kunoichi away from her. "Don't worry about me. Just keep running."

Sakura shook her head violently. "Do you take me for a fool, Ino? I can tell when someone's low on chakra." She placed her hand on Ino's shoulder protectively. "It's okay. I'll heal you. We'll stop for a bit, and—"

Ino's fist, embedded with chakra, was thrust into Sakura's stomach before the she could finish her sentence. Sakura, stunned, heaved in shock, and subsequently plummeted to the ground.

She glanced up at the blonde ninja, astonished. "Ino… why?" she rasped weakly. She attempted to grasp what just had just occurred, but was too consumed by anguish to even think properly.

"I'm doing this for your sake, Sakura." Ino replied quietly. "We'll draw attention to ourselves if we're together. It's better that we split up."

"Ino… no…" She reached her hand out to Ino, but her friend wouldn't take it. The blonde diverted her eyes, ashamed. She was only being a burden to Sakura, which was something she dreaded. Sakura's life was more important than her own, and after seeing Sakura's reaction when she discovered Ino's chakra was diminished, Ino had realized that Sakura feeling were identical to her own.

_I'm sorry, Sakura. _She thought mournfully, before turning around and departing.

Several minutes later, Sakura's body functioned normally again. She groaned, stumbling to her feet. She realized that Ino's punch wasn't intended to hurt her; it was to ensure that Sakura wouldn't follow Ino's trail.

It didn't matter, though. The mere fact that Ino had abandoned her was emotionally shattering. Sakura was now finding it more and more difficult to subdue her inner turmoil. She clenched her teeth, tears being produced.

_Ino… we were supposed to be in this, together. _

She forced herself to stop, knowing that she needed to run away before the Uchiha found her. She brushed off her tears, hiccuping softly.

Shaking, she drew the kunai Karin had given her, and held her hair up with the other hand. With one swift motion, the kunai cut neatly through her hair. The strands of it fell to the ground, along with her forehead protector.

She picked up her forehead protector and carved a long, horizontal line through the Hidden Sound symbol. After doing so, she firmly adjusted it on her head.

She would no longer be a plaything of the Uchiha.

"This way!" a woman's voice echoed in this distance.

Sakura whipped around in alarm, recognizing the voice. Composing herself, she started jumping through the trees, no longer having any regrets.

* * *

**Author's note : **By the way, not everything about this universe will be immediately explained. If something or someone is mentioned in this story so far and receives little to no exposition, it's subtle foreshadowing. I just felt I had to mention that.

Not gonna lie… I got lazy in some parts. Sue me.

Some of you are probably wondering why there's a secret passage in the Uchiha Palace. It's clarified next chapter, along with a few other things.

Poor judgment on Ino's behalf. So… now Sakura's hair is shoulder-length. I don't think I have to explain why she cut her hair.


End file.
